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Henry Jenkins on ‘The Future of Teenagers’

It’s easy to forget that the small differences between generations are just that: small, especially when compared to the overwhelming commonalities across the ages. We all struggle to process the world, in much the same sorts of ways – even if the particularities of our quests differ.

That’s a good reminder from Henry Jenkins, especially when thinking about and discussing the youth of today:

First, the continuities across generations are much greater than the differences. Young people today listen to different bands and often acquire music through different platforms than teens a decade ago, yet one’s taste in music is still a key indicator of one’s personal and social identity for teens. Young people play different games on different game platforms yet young people acquire and display mastery through competitive play. Young people use different social networking platforms and communicate with their friends through text-messaging, yet forging a place for oneself within the social system of their schools remains a central goal of adolescence.

The rest of Jenkins’ (excellent) piece examines how adolescents are now growing up in a technology- and information-rich culture, and the incredible impact that has on empowering youth. It’s a great read, and one which leaves me thinking more and more that Jenkins’ work should be required reading before anyone is allowed to make a comment on “kids these days.”